Kirtland: Noise coming from Boyne City factory has been reduced

September 12, 2012|Aebra Coe (231) 439- 9397- acoe@petoskeynews.com

NEWS-REVIEW FILE PHOTO

BOYNE CITY — Kirtland Products, a Boyne City wood pellet manufacturing company, reported positive results after it installed equipment to reduce the noise coming from its factory in the city's industrial park.

"We consulted with neighbors and concluded the result worked as designed," said Kirtland CEO Leon Tupper at the Tuesday, Sept. 11, Boyne City Commission meeting.

Also at the meeting, the commission voted to survey the city's gravel roads for future projects and approved hiring a company to resurface several paved roads.

Kirtland has finished installing a first phase of sound-reducing equipment and plans to implement the second phase over the next week.

Once the equipment is entirely installed, all recommendations made to Kirtland by design and engineering firm Kodiak Group to reduce noise will have been implemented.

After complaints from nearby residents about the noise coming from the factory, Kirtland was under threat of being shut down by the city. Subsequently, more than 600 signatures in support of Kirtland have been received and close to 100 asking for the noise to stop have been submitted to the city.

Testing by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality on sound levels as well as other emissions at the site is ongoing and complete results will be available to the public within the next two months.

The factory is currently running at full capacity 24 hours a day, reported Tupper.

Citizen Mark Dole spoke during public comment at the meeting.

"The city cannot have reliable jobs and be a tourist town at the same time," he said, "We need industry."

He voiced his support for Kirtland Products and the work they do.

Building a housing development next to an industrial park, he said, "was a problem waiting to happen."

The planning commission will have a public hearing on the matter at its next regularly scheduled meeting at 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 17.

Surveying of gravel roads in Boyne City will determine what improvements are needed and how much they will cost.

The commission voted to hire C2AE, out of Gaylord, to survey all the city's gravel roads this fall for $3,500. There are 23 gravel streets in the city equaling 2.2 miles.

Several commissioners expressed interest in eventually being able to pave the roads.

"I think citizens would appreciate a paved street. I'm in favor of spending the money to move forward," said commissioner Tom Neidhamer.

"I agree this could be very useful for future planning," said commissioner Gene Towne.

A reason for the success of Boyne City, said Mayor Ron Grunch, is its forethought. "I think this is money well spent," he said, "We spend a lot on grating streets."

The 2012 city street maintenance contract was awarded to Payne and Dolan for $165,333.

Streets slated for improvements before the end of the year include sections of Jefferson, Leroy, Lincoln, Lewis, Brockway and Beardsley.